Geneva Water Hub, a Centre of Competence on Water for Peace

What Geneva Water Hub, a Centre of Competence on Water for Peace does

Geneva Water Hub is a non-profit Centre of Competence on Water for Peace, established in 2015 and affiliated with the University of Geneva, headquartered within the World Meteorological Organization building in Geneva, Switzerland. It convenes governments, international organizations, NGOs, academics, and diplomatic communities around the water-peace nexus, with active field and policy programs in the Sahel and West Africa, Western Asia and North Africa (WANA), Afghanistan, and Mauritania. Its work spans legal and policy development, transboundary water diplomacy, protection of water during armed conflict, capacity building, and research at the intersection of water governance, international law, and peacebuilding.

The organization's core offerings are programmatic rather than software-based. Knowledge products include the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure (a landmark legal framework integrating international humanitarian, human rights, environmental, and water law), the 'A Matter of Survival' report from the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace, and an extensive publications and policy-brief library. Educational products include an annual Summer School on Water Governance at the University of Geneva, MOOCs on Coursera with cumulative enrollment surpassing 58,000 students, tailor-made customized training, and a new Environmental Peacebuilding Training in Ljubljana. Coalition and platform products include the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflicts (GASWAC), the Global Observatory for Water and Peace (GOWP), the Platform for International Water Law, the Group of Friends on Water and Peace, and the University Partnership for Water Cooperation and Diplomacy.

Geneva Water Hub operates as a grant-funded non-profit with a small team of approximately 15 employees. Primary revenue comes from institutional funding, principally the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), supplemented by tuition fees from select paid training programs and in-kind institutional support from the University of Geneva and the World Meteorological Organization. Distribution occurs through academic partnerships, the Coursera MOOC platform, OSCE co-developed e-learning, event-based convening (Geneva Peace Week, UN Water Conference side events), and direct field engagement with conflict-affected communities.

Name

Geneva Water Hub, a Centre of Competence on Water for Peace

Legal name

Geneva Water Hub

Website

https://genevawaterhub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Geneva Water Hub is a Geneva-based non-profit Centre of Competence that advances water as an instrument of peace, serving governments, UN agencies, and researchers through legal frameworks, training programs, MOOCs, and field diplomacy across the Sahel, WANA, and Afghanistan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water governance and peace consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Resources, WASH & Integrated Water Management (BPADALAH), Water, Wastewater & Stormwater Compliance (BPAHAJAJ)

Keywords

• Water governance training
• International water law
• Environmental peacebuilding
• Transboundary water cooperation
• Water diplomacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding and Grants: Primary funding from development cooperation agencies, international organizations, and government donors including the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and University of Geneva institutional support.
2. Training Program Fees: Revenue from specialized training programs including the Summer School on Water Governance and Environmental Peacebuilding Training courses, which charge tuition fees (e.g., 1,500 CHF for Environmental Peacebuilding Training) with scholarship options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Geneva Water Hub is a non-profit Centre of Competence that delivers training programs, policy and legal frameworks, applied research, and multi-stakeholder convening services focused on water as an instrument for peace. Its core offerings include an annual Summer School on Water Governance, MOOCs on Coursera, tailor-made training courses, the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure, and field programs supporting water diplomacy in the Sahel, Western Asia/North Africa, and Afghanistan.

Product overview

Geneva Water Hub operates as a policy and research organization rather than a software product company. Its portfolio consists of educational/training programs, legal/policy frameworks, research initiatives, and dialogue platforms. The core offerings include: the Summer School on Water Governance (annual training program since 2015), Online Courses and MOOCs on Coursera (totaling 58,000+ students), and tailor-made customized training. Key policy products include the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure (landmark legal framework document), the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflicts (GASWAC), and the Global Observatory for Water and Peace (GOWP). The organization also publishes major reports including 'A Matter of Survival' from the Global High-Level Panel, conducts research on transboundary water governance and armed conflict impacts, and hosts the Water Talks Series for knowledge sharing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer School on Water Governance: Frameworks and Negotiations Annual blended training program held at the University of Geneva for professionals working at strategic levels, covering hydropolitics, international water law, conflict management, and data cooperation, with field visits and expert sessions.
• Online Courses Specialized e-learning courses for small groups of water professionals, designed for personalized attention and interactive learning on water governance and diplomacy.
• Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) Massive Online Open Courses developed and delivered on the Coursera platform, with collective enrollment surpassing 58,000 students, covering water and peace topics for a global learner audience.
• Tailor-Made Courses High-quality customized programmes and courses developed in close consultation with partners to fit specific training needs, delivered online or in classroom format.
• Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure Landmark reference document that systematizes the main rules applicable to the protection of water infrastructure during armed conflicts, integrating international humanitarian law, human rights law, environmental law, and water law.
• Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflicts (GASWAC) Alliance that galvanises efforts to protect human dignity by disseminating existing legal and technical tools for the protection of freshwater and related installations from armed conflicts.
• Global Observatory for Water and Peace (GOWP) Global platform of regional and local implementing partners from well-established, neutral organizations committed to the agenda of water and peace.
• E-learning Course on Water Diplomacy and Integration of Water Norms in Peacebuilding Free e-learning course developed by OSCE in partnership with Geneva Water Hub, exploring the intersection between water and peace for water practitioners, professional negotiators, and students.
• Law, Policy and Science in Environmental Peacebuilding Training Specialized five-day training course on Environmental Peacebuilding offered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in collaboration with Slovenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for professionals in military, diplomacy, NGOs, and international organizations, with tuition of 1,500 CHF and scholarships available.
• University Partnership for Water Cooperation and Diplomacy (UPWCD) Network of academic institutions working on water diplomacy and cooperation, presented at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
• Consultancy Services Advisory and consultancy services for governments, UN agencies, and partners on water governance, water diplomacy, and protection of water during and after armed conflict.
• Water Peace Diplomacy Field Programs (Sahel, WANA, Afghanistan) Field programs facilitating multi-stakeholder dialogue on water as a driver of peace in fragile and conflict-affected regions, including the Sahel and West Africa (since 2018), Western Asia and North Africa (WANA), and Afghanistan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 58,000+ students enrolled in MOOCs on Coursera
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• University of GenevacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore institutional partner hosting the Geneva Water Hub as a global center. Hosts the Platform for International Water Law at the Faculty of Law. Provides administrative infrastructure including SAP system for financial management and recruitment portal (jobs.unige.ch). Summer School co-designed with University of Geneva's Institut des sciences de l'environnement (ISE).
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost organization providing headquarters office space at 7bis Avenue de la Paix in Geneva. Collaborates on transboundary water governance events and research initiatives.
• UNICEFmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on protection of water infrastructure during armed conflicts. Co-organizer of IPI Lunchtime Policy Forum on Water in Armed Conflicts (2019). Joint advocacy for water access in humanitarian contexts and support for Geneva List of Principles dissemination.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration on protection of water during armed conflicts. Joint research on reverberating effects of armed conflict on water systems. Co-organization of IPU-ICRC webinar series on protecting environment in armed conflict.
• Environmental Peacebuilding AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched Interest Group on Water during Geneva Peace Week 2018 conference. Joint events including 4th International Conference on Environmental Peacebuilding. Collaboration on research and practitioner networking.
• OSCEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of free e-learning course on Water Diplomacy and Integration of Water Norms in Peacebuilding. Participation in OSCE Chairpersonship Conference 2026 on water, technology, and security topics.
• UNHCR MauritaniamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint video production and field research on water governance in Hodh Chargui region supporting refugees and host communities. Water-point participatory action-research collaboration addressing water-peace nexus in displacement context.
• UNESCO Chair on HydropoliticsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration on water governance research and transboundary water management. Partner in Water for Peace Research stream and University Partnership for Water Cooperation and Diplomacy (UPWCD).
• Africa 21minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCine-club collaboration featuring documentary screenings and discussions on water, climate, and peace. Event partnership for Thank You for the Rain screening with Project Manager Quentin Parent providing expert commentary.
• Pôle Eau DakarmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for water governance work in Africa. Co-organizer of high-level side event at 2026 UN Water Conference alongside TRENDS Research & Advisory.
• Blue Peace InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of Blue Peace Initiative. Co-organization of Geneva launch event for Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace report. Blue Peace Orchestra performance at launch event.
• Conflict and Environment ObservatoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on tracking attacks against water infrastructure and environmental dimensions of armed conflict. Expert contribution to Lund University workshop on Water in Post-Conflict Situations (2018).
• Graduate Institute of International and Development StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration including conference co-organization on Water Diplomacy during Geneva Peace Week. Lucius Caflisch, Emeritus Professor, involved in Geneva List expert consultations.
• Imperial College London (Jameel Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration on JI-RISE project (Real-time Intelligent Support for Emergencies) focusing on WASH, antimicrobial resistance, and health systems in conflict-affected settings including Gaza.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI): SIWI is one of the world's leading water-policy NGOs, hosting World Water Week and driving global water governance research and convening. Both Geneva Water Hub and SIWI operate as independent international water-policy centers producing reports, convening governments, and providing training on transboundary water cooperation.
• IHE Delft Institute for Water Education: IHE Delft is the world's largest graduate water-education institution, offering MSc and PhD programs plus professional short courses on water management. Both IHE Delft and Geneva Water Hub deliver specialized water training programs for professionals, produce research publications, and engage international practitioners on water governance capacity-building.
• WaterLex: WaterLex is a Geneva-based international NGO focused on the legal dimensions of water, including the human right to water and sanitation. Both WaterLex and Geneva Water Hub operate from Geneva, specialize in international water law, and produce legal/policy frameworks for governments and UN agencies, making them natural comparables in the niche of water-law-and-policy.
• Global Water Partnership (GWP): GWP is an international network promoting integrated water resources management (IWRM) and governance across more than 80 countries. Both GWP and Geneva Water Hub operate as multi-stakeholder convening platforms focused on water governance, work closely with governments and UN agencies, and produce policy frameworks on transboundary water cooperation.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee (IRC): IRC is a major humanitarian NGO delivering emergency WASH services in conflict-affected regions including the Sahel and Middle East. Both IRC and Geneva Water Hub operate in the same conflict-affected geographies (e.g., Mauritania, Lebanon), engage UNHCR as a partner, and address water-service delivery in humanitarian contexts, though IRC focuses on service provision while the Hub focuses on policy and governance.
• International Water Management Institute (IWMI): IWMI is a CGIAR research center and leading international water-resources research institute working on sustainable water use in developing countries. Both IWMI and Geneva Water Hub produce authoritative research, policy briefs, and convening platforms addressing transboundary water governance, though IWMI operates at significantly greater scale.
• WaterAid: WaterAid is a major international NGO focused on water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) access in developing countries. While Geneva Water Hub focuses on water-peace nexus and WaterAid focuses on WASH service delivery, both occupy the international water-and-development NGO space, work with UN agencies, and engage on water policy at the global level.
• UNDP Water and Ocean Governance Programme: UNDP's Water and Ocean Governance Programme supports integrated water resources management and transboundary cooperation globally. Both UNDP and Geneva Water Hub work on SDG 6 implementation, support transboundary water cooperation, and engage with governments on water policy reform, though UNDP operates at much greater scale as a UN agency.
• IUCN Water Programme: IUCN operates one of the world's largest environmental NGO programmes, including a dedicated water portfolio addressing nature-based solutions and water governance. Both IUCN and Geneva Water Hub engage on transboundary water management, produce policy briefs, and partner with multilateral institutions on water and environmental issues.

Others

• International Hydropower Association (IHA): IHA is a global membership organization advancing sustainable hydropower, including work on water infrastructure protection. While IHA's hydropower focus differs from the Hub's peace-and-armed-conflict focus, both engage on transboundary water infrastructure policy and have participated in Geneva-based water governance dialogues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/genevawaterhub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Geneva Water Hub, a Centre of Competence on Water for Peace